Sender (?) of telegram - PROCLICAS - can anyone identify?

[Tom Morgan]

A friend has asked for help with a telegram relating to a soldier who died as a POW. The telegram was sent/received in 1917 and reads:

P.M. 20^th Cancel Report on list form 234 Date 13^th October showing 18154 Stewart Royal Scots, Prisoner of War, previous report dead on list from 210 correct.

Proclicas.

Does anyone know what "Proclicas" might mean?

Tom

[Stebie9173]

As far as I am aware it is an authentication code-word.

Steve.

[ss002d6252]

Not sure what it means but this site also mentions it in respect of a telegram

Telegram sent to Preston from War Office, London reporting telegraph from Etaples 5 Apr 1917 'IDEENLAND 30013 Pte A R Brown 2 Bn Borders GSW Head Proclicas'.

http://cowen-ent.co.uk/Cowen%20Tree/fam638.html

Craig

[hazelclark]

I think it means something like "direct from the field", and is spelled Proelicas. (Ave)

H

[johnboy]

Here is another one.

Post Office Telegraph from the War Office, London to Woolwich Dockyard received 10:15pm: 62 Cas P77317 OC 23 Casualty CLG Station, France telegraphs 21st August 1917. Dangerously wounded 89791 A. Valerie and 16207 Cpl. A. Fielding C. Batt 165 Bde RFA. Proclicas

[CGM]

Thank you so much for the correct spelling Hazel.

I spent a long time searching the forum last night because I was sure I could remember this being explained in the past, but just couldn't find it.

Now I have found it and to my surprise - I actually answered the question.

It was a telegraphic address for the War Office department dealing with casualties. It is from the Latin "proelium" meaning battle and the abbreviation "cas" meaning casualty.

And to give credit where it is due I learnt this from Alan Greveson's World War Forum. LINK

He was asked this question several times and this was his answer. (Search for Proelicas to see examples).

CGM

[Tom Morgan]

Thanks all - my question is well and truly answered.

Tom

[centurion]

Thank you so much for the correct spelling Hazel.

I spent a long time searching the forum last night because I was sure I could remember this being explained in the past, but just couldn't find it.

Now I have found it and to my surprise - I actually answered the question.

It was a telegraphic address for the War Office department dealing with casualties. It is from the Latin "proelium" meaning battle and the abbreviation "cas" meaning casualty.

And to give credit where it is due I learnt this from Alan Greveson's World War Forum. LINK

He was asked this question several times and this was his answer. (Search for Proelicas to see examples).

CGM

And on many different examples is spelt Proclicas and not Proelicas a common error?

[KPH]

I am researching Gunner 810622 Frederick Mann b 27/2/1899 in Derby, because his name appeared on a WWI memorial at Ashbourne Road Congregational Church, Derby. Sadly the memorial was destroyed when the church burnt down in 1993. So I thought it was even more important to document the men listed on the memorial, of which we have a photograph.

I have found quite a lot of information about him. I am in contact with his family and I am sending them his military service record, which you can see on Ancestry.co.uk. I am adding a few notes that I hope will help their understanding. I'm a family history researcher, not a military expert, so any analysis of his records would be helpful, if anyone has the time to look at them. (19 pages).

There is a telegram that mentions Proelicas, so thank you for the translation of that term.

The word I'd like some help with is "Ideenland", which is also mentioned in a telegram and in this thread but no translation is mentioned. The telegram seems to be in military and medical terminology. e.g. PUO for Pyrexia (fever) Unknown Origin. He dies of typhoid at 18 years and 6 months in 24/8/17 in the Calais area.

The telegram seems to be addressed to Kingsway, which was and still is an army establishment in Derby, walking distance to the soldier's home. I wonder if the news of his illness was sent to Kingsway and someone from there would "decode" the telegram into layman's language and visit the family. He had enlisted after leaving school at age 14 years 6 months in Sep 1913.

There is also copy of another telegram on his file in plain English addressed to his parents, advising them of his illness.

Thanks in advance.

Karen

[Ron Clifton]

The Army used single words, often concocted or with Latin roots and often of about nine letters, as "telegraphic addresses". A list of those in use in 1914 appears in the August 1914 Army List but neither Proclicas nor Ideenland is among them, so they must have been later additions. The address for the Officer Commanding No.8 District, which handled infantry soldiers' records for the Border Regiment among others, was "Group, Preston" but it is not impossible that Ideenland was introduced to cover the section dealing with casualties. There may have been more than one such code, perhaps to distinguish between officers and men, or between casualties killed, wounded and missing.

The address used by the Secretary of the War Office was "Troopers", and this is the signature seen on the mobilisation telegrams.

Incidentally, Harrods used (and possibly still use) the address "Everything, London."

Ron

[seaforths]

I was reading a number of telegrams regarding the repatriation of escaped prisoners. Each time, they were put in quarantine in Holland and they ended with comments such as; Inform Dirmilint or send to Dirmilint - I thought it was a place in Holland until a few more down the line, it was written in full 'Director of Military Intelligence'

[seaJane]

Could Ideenland be "ID Enquiries Land forces" or some such?

sJ